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Cops question Women Miner’s Association head over assault, theft claims
Head of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation, Simona Broomes was questioned yesterday at the Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters, Eve Leary, in connection with an allegation that she assaulted a Bartica businesswoman who is presently on a Trafficking in Persons charge.
She was detained for about four hours before being released on $10,000 station bail and has been instructed to return to Eve Leary on September 6. Broomes said that the police indicated that they may send the report to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.
GWMO Head Simona Broomes
Broomes told Kaieteur News that the businesswoman making the allegation, claimed that the GWMO head had struck her with a firearm and snatched off a six-ounce gold chain from her neck.
The complainant is said to be the same businesswoman who was recently remanded for trafficking a 17-year-old girl and for assaulting Brooms.
The incident reportedly occurred last April when Broomes, a crusader against human trafficking, was attempting to rescue four teenage girls, who were allegedly being held against their will at an interior location.
Refuting the woman’s claims, Broomes said that the allegation was being made in an attempt to tarnish her reputation and undermine her efforts to stop the exploitation of underage girls.
She also queried why the woman was now filing the complaint after so much time had elapsed.
The women miner’s head said that the chain she was supposed to have snatched is described as a “dog collar.” She said that it is impossible for someone to snatch a chain like this from a person’s neck.
Broomes told Kaieteur News that at around 08:00 hrs yesterday, she received a call from a rank requesting that she go to the Juvenile Branch at CID Headquarters, Eve Leary in connection with the recent TIP case.
The GWMO head said that she went to Eve Leary Juvenile Branch after lunch and was told by an Inspector that an allegation had been made against her and that another rank would read the allegation.
Broomes was reportedly then told that the businesswoman had alleged that the GWMO head had struck her in the face with a firearm and snatched a six-and-a half ounce chain from her neck. According to Broomes, the rank then informed her that she was under arrest, and that a senior officer would make a decision on how to proceed.
She was detained at the Juvenile Branch until late yesterday afternoon, when a member of the GWMO posted $10,000 station bail.
Although clearly upset, Broomes said that the allegations would not deter her in her crusade against human trafficking.
“I think it’s deliberate and that persons are trying to tarnish my reputation and tarnish what I am doing. But I am motivated. I am motivated by the fact that there are kids out there who need my help. This will only motivate me more.”
Last June, the US government bestowed an award to Ms. Broomes for her efforts to stamp out human trafficking in her homeland.
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